Yankton in Yankton County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Hanging of Jack McCall
March 1, 1877
Throughout the trial, the sentencing, the rejection of his appeal and on the scaffold he exhibited a demeanor best told by the reportorial words: "He put on a bold front and careless air" - "the prisoner seemed least moved of all present" - at the sentencing "he evinced no shrinking" and was "more exuberant than his fellow prisoners" when his appeal failed. He refused the ministrations of two Protestant ministers but accepted Father Daxacher.
Followed by every vehicle in town and hundreds on horseback, out Broadway to the school section two miles North to the gallows a few rods east of here, "he gazed out over the throng without exhibiting the least faltering or even a quiver of the lips" and as Marshal Burdick adjusted the noose he said, "draw it tighter Marshal". He had destroyed a written statement he had made two days before but admitted to the Marshal that he was the Jack McCall, the brother of a girl, who had written the Marshal from Louisville.
The trap was sprung at 10:10 and he was dead ten minutes later, an unrepentant murderer of a man who had done him no wrong.
Erected 1960 by Yankton "Moose Lodge No. 1356" and State Highway Commission. (Marker Number 302.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Events. In addition, it is included in the South Dakota State Historical Society Markers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is March 1, 1877.
Location. 42° 54.544′ N, 97° 24.033′ W. Marker is in Yankton, South Dakota, in Yankton County. Marker is at the intersection of 31st Street (South Dakota Route 50) and Fox Run Parkway, on the right when traveling west on 31st Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Yankton SD 57078, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Yankton Memorial Park (approx. 1˝ miles away); Yankton College (approx. 2.1 miles away); Christ Church (approx. 2˝ miles away); Pine Street Bridge (approx. 2˝ miles away); Cramer - Kenyon Home (approx. 2˝ miles away); North Wall Yankton Stockade (approx. 2.6 miles away); Historic Highway (approx. 2.7 miles away); First Capitol Building of Dakota Territory (approx. 2.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Yankton.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 7, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2021. This page has been viewed 1,082 times since then and 191 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 22, 2021. 3. submitted on December 6, 2022. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.